Science-Backed Benefits of Cold-Pressed Cacao: Why We Chose It for Preme Hot Cocoa

by: Xeba Zareie, Founder 

If you've been with Preme since the beginning, you might remember our very first product wasn't a drink at all.

It was a protein-packed chocolate mousse.

Long before I ever imagined creating an electrolyte hot cocoa, I was obsessed with making something deeply nourishing that also felt like a treat. I wanted the rich, comforting experience of chocolate without relying on overly processed ingredients or excessive sugar.

When I eventually decided to transform that idea into a warm drink, one ingredient mattered more than any other:

The cacao.

At first glance, most cocoa powders look the same. They're dark brown, chocolatey, and interchangeable on a recipe label.

They're not.

In fact, almost every instant hot cocoa mix you'll find on grocery store shelves—including many premium brands—is made with Dutch-process (alkalized) cocoa powder.

So what does that mean?

After cacao beans are fermented, dried, and roasted, some manufacturers treat the cocoa with an alkaline solution. This process reduces acidity, softens bitterness, creates a darker color, and makes the powder dissolve more easily in liquids.

From a manufacturing perspective, it's brilliant.

From a nutritional perspective, it's more complicated.

The same processing that creates a smoother, darker cocoa can also reduce naturally occurring flavanols—plant compounds that researchers have studied for their role in supporting healthy circulation, vascular function, and interactions with the gut microbiome.

That's why I chose a different path.

Instead of starting with the easiest cocoa to manufacture, I started with the ingredient I wanted to drink myself.

Cold-pressed, minimally processed, organic cacao retains more of the naturally occurring compounds that make cacao such a remarkably nourishing food. It has a richer aroma, a more complex chocolate flavor, and preserves more of what nature put there in the first place.

Yes, it costs more.

Yes, it's more challenging to formulate with.

We think it's worth it.

Because at preme, the goal has always been to create the product I wished existed when I needed it most.

That philosophy is what transformed our original chocolate mousse into the Hot Cocoa we make today—comforting enough to crave, thoughtfully formulated enough to noticebaly support your body every time you reach for it.

Your Gut Unlocks Cacao's Superpowers

One of the most fascinating discoveries in nutrition research is that your gut microbiome plays a major role in determining how much benefit you receive from cacao.

Only a small percentage of cacao's large polyphenols are absorbed in the small intestine. Most travel intact to the colon, where beneficial gut bacteria break them down into smaller compounds that your body can readily absorb and use.

In other words: Your gut microbes don't just benefit from cacao—they help activate many of cacao's benefits.

Scientists now describe this as a two-way relationship.

Cacao polyphenols help shape a healthier microbiome, while a healthier microbiome produces more beneficial metabolites from cacao.

It's nutrition working together exactly the way nature intended.

Cacao Helps Feed the Right Microbes

Although cacao polyphenols aren't classified as traditional prebiotic fibers, researchers increasingly recognize that they have prebiotic-like effects.

Studies have found that cocoa polyphenols can encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria—including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium—while reducing the abundance of some less desirable microbes. The composition of your microbiome also influences how effectively these compounds are transformed into beneficial metabolites.

This is one reason we paired cacao with Sunfiber® Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum, a clinically studied prebiotic fiber.

The fiber selectively nourishes beneficial bacteria, while the cacao provides polyphenols that those microbes can transform into bioactive compounds.

Rather than relying on a single ingredient, we designed the formula so each component complements the others.

Better Blood Flow Starts in Your Blood Vessels

One of cacao's best-studied compounds is epicatechin, a naturally occurring flavanol.

Research suggests epicatechin helps support the production of nitric oxide—a signaling molecule that allows blood vessels to relax and maintain healthy blood flow. Healthy nitric oxide production supports normal vascular function and helps maintain blood vessel elasticity.

As we enter our 30s, our nitric oxide production starts to decline. Taking nitric oxide rich foods or supplements is highly recommended for pre-workouts. 

Healthy circulation influences nearly every organ in the body—from the brain to the muscles to the digestive tract.

A Different Kind of Energy

Many people expect chocolate to behave like coffee.

It doesn't.

Cacao contains only modest amounts of caffeine. Instead, its primary naturally occurring stimulant is theobromine.

Theobromine works differently than caffeine. Rather than producing a rapid spike in alertness, it tends to provide a gentler, more sustained feeling of wakefulness.

Many people describe this as feeling calm, focused, and mentally clear rather than jittery.

Naturally Rich in Minerals

Cacao is naturally rich in several essential minerals, including:

• Magnesium

• Iron

• Copper

• Manganese

• Potassium

These minerals participate in hundreds of biochemical reactions involved in energy production, muscle contraction, nervous system function, and cellular health.

More Than Antioxidants

When people hear "antioxidants," they often imagine tiny molecules simply neutralizing free radicals.

The science is more nuanced.

Many cocoa flavanols appear to influence cellular signaling pathways involved in inflammation, vascular function, and immune regulation—not merely acting as antioxidants themselves. Researchers continue to study these complex interactions and how they may contribute to long-term health.

Why We Combined Cacao With Gut-Supportive Ingredients

We believe nutrition works best when ingredients support one another.

That's why our Hot Cocoa combines:

• Cold-pressed cacao for naturally occurring flavanols

• Sunfiber® PHGG to nourish beneficial gut bacteria

• Grass-fed collagen peptides for amino acids which are the building blocks for regenerating your gut barrier

• Marshmallow root, traditionally used to provide soothing mucilage

• Milk thistle, stabilizes mast cells and supports the liver 

• Magnesium glycinate and other electrolytes like sodium, potassium and chloride

• Trace minerals

Instead of focusing on a single "superfood," we built a recipe around ingredients that complement one another in ways supported by both traditional nutrition and emerging microbiome science.

A Cup Worth Looking Forward To

One lesson we've learned while building Preme is simple:

The healthiest routine is the one you'll actually keep.

Nature gives us a clue.

Many of the world's most nutrient-dense foods are also deeply enjoyable to eat—the sweetness of ripe fruit, the aroma of herbs, the richness of cacao.

We don't think functionality and pleasure should compete.

We think they belong together.

Our Hot Cocoa was created to be every bit as comforting as the mug of cocoa you remember growing up with—only now it's made with thoughtfully sourced ingredients designed for today's understanding of gut health.

Because building a healthier microbiome shouldn't feel like another chore.

It should feel like something you'll crave tomorrow.